Monday, April 10, 2017

This Utah native shrub is a great choice for a water wise landscape - it requires no water other than what falls from the sky! Green Mormon Tea, or Brigham Tea (Ephedra viridis) is a smallish green shrub found in the wild all over the West and Southwest. The common name comes from the fact that the Mormon settlers of Utah used it to make tea. Ephedra plants are available at local nurseries that carry native plants. Plant in a hot sunny area of the xeric garden and please don't give it extra water or soil amendments or fertilizers. Like many Utah native plants, Ephedra thrives in harsh conditions and will not survive if given too many nutrients or water.